Alleluia

Several months ago I was riding in the car with a few friends when the talk turned to heaven. Both of them expressed how much they longed to be there, how happy they would be if it happened soon. These were not unhappy people, it wasn’t that life was so miserable they couldn’t stand it on earth, they just had a longing to stand in God’s presence that was THAT STRONG. And I’ll admit, I didn’t get it. Sure, heaven will be great when I finally get there, but to long for it that strongly?

This morning my clock radio went off in perfect timing to the beginning of this song:

And as I lay there listening it hit me; this is just a small taste of what heaven will be like. In whatever way, at whatever time death comes to us I imagine it will be as if we have finally woken up, really woken up, and the first thing we will hear is the multitudes of angels and all who have gone before us praising God.

Can you imagine?

Can anything on earth even begin to compare?

I get it now. I love my family and the earthly part of me wants to be here, loving them, watching them grow, caring for them. But there is a part of each of us that is spirit and that part of me is waking up, stretching towards heaven, longing to finally stand in the presence of God and declare “Holy, Holy are You, Lord God Almighty! Worthy is the Lamb!”

In the midst of your life today, I hope that you catch a glimpse of heaven. Even when the rain falls and the sky outside is grey I hope that inside of you the Alleluia echoes, reaching towards heaven.

1 Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, as clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb 2 down the middle of the great street of the city. On each side of the river stood the tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, yielding its fruit every month. And the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations. 3 No longer will there be any curse. The throne of God and of the Lamb will be in the city, and his servants will serve him. 4 They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. 5 There will be no more night. They will not need the light of a lamp or the light of the sun, for the Lord God will give them light. And they will reign for ever and ever.   Revelation 22: 1-5 (NIV)

I can’t wait. I can’t wait.